Your Skin’s New Best Friend – Smell Good The Natural Way
In an era of ever-increasing cleansers, moisturizers, deodorants, and so much more, the incidence of skin issues and sensitivities is on the rise. If you thought that acne is just an issue with teenage girls, then, probably you are thinking in the wrong direction. More than 50 million Americans are struggling with acne troubles (not just teenagers), Eczema cases among children have tripled in the last three decades. Recent years have seen an increase in sensitive skin, with over half the population self-identifying as having sensitive skin.
Since the holiday season is just around the corner, there is a lot of pressure to look good for those family dinners, office parties, or nights out with friends. It takes a lot of effort to look perfect whether it is styling your hair, applying the right kind of makeup (we all know how much effort that takes)…and fitting into the dress you bought a few weeks back (thanks to your new diet) or shaving your beard, matching your tie with your shirt, and styling your hair according to the latest trend.
Looking great and being a cause for jealousy can be invigorating, skin bacteria, body odor and bad breath can make all your effort go down the drain. It is important to pay attention to how you smell around others, how you skin looks like and feel. It is basic etiquette.
So, what is the solution to all these alarming problems? While research is early, scientists are starting to research the role of bacteria on the skin, as in why we might actually need bacteria to have happy skin. There is more and more rhetoric out there regarding whether being too clean has actually been good for us.
Bacteria on skin often evokes mixed reactions from people. While the wrong bacteria in the wrong place can cause problems, but the right bacteria in the right place can have benefits. Science is showing that the human body is a diverse ecosystem, and that balance within this ecosystem is the most important thing. And that is one of the major reason why more and more people are getting inclined towards embracing particular foods for their microbes – yogurt, kombucha, and probiotic supplements.
Wondering why your skin needs bacteria?
Do you know we have 10 times more bacterial cells than human cells in our body? And, as a matter of fact they are not just inside but ON our body too. Researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania issued a study demonstrating that the bacteria on our skin is the channel through which our immune system is alerted whenever there is something wrong. There is a long way left to go before we understand how specific types of bacterial interactions lead to certain outcomes.
How can you get this bacteria?
According to a recent study, it was found that a distant Amazonian tribe has the most diverse microbes ever seen in humans. “So, shall I just ask my kid to rub his face in the mud and expect healthier results?” Well, the answer is No. The dirt in the cities does not provide you with same ecosystem as found in a farmhouse. Our ancestors didn’t so much as roll around in dirt as they did just constantly interact with nature which led to their “colonization” with various forms of bacteria. That coupled with their non-use of chemistry lead to a steady state ecosystem of bacteria on their skin that functioned like a symbiotic relationship between body and microbes. Which helps to eliminate body odor and give you a shiny healthy skin.
Think of all the money you shell out on expensive perfumes and deodorants. To your dismay, the truth is that these products do not get rid of body odor and and do not provide your skin with healthy bacteria - htey only mask it. So, after you bust some moves at a party and are drenched in sweat, deodorants and perfumes might not be able to hold your body odor back (instead people around you might hold themselves back from dancing with you).
How Can You Get Rid Of Body Odor?
There are natural home remedies that can get rid of body odor and have you smelling as fresh as a rose.
1. Vinegar
Vinegar, a common flavoring agent, has bactericidal properties (bacteria-killing properties). Sweat is alkaline in nature, which means it increases your skin’s pH, just the way bacteria like it. Vinegar is essentially acetic acid. It counteracts the alkalinity of sweat and restores the normal pH of the skin, making it unfavorable for bacteria to survive. That is good riddance of bad odor.
Dab some vinegar on your armpits or any other part of your body (areas you feel might have unpleasasnt odor) and you will be all set for embarrassment-free social interaction.
2. Lemon Juice
Another attack on odor-causing bacteria, lemon juice is an oh-so convenient antiseptic.2Being acidic in nature (like vinegar), it creates a hostile environment for bacteria.Take a slice of lemon and rub it on the areas that smell the most to alleviate body odor.
3. Baking Soda
Baking soda absorbs sweat (the instigator), maintains the pH of your skin, and kills bacteria. Wet your fingers with water and dip them into a bowl of baking soda. Apply the baking soda in the areas that sweat and smell the most and go odor free.
4. Lavender Oil
Lavender oil has a beautiful fragrance and is easily absorbed when massaged into your skin. It is antibacterial, antifungal, and antidepressive, and helps relax smooth muscles. Sit back, relax, and massage lavender oil on foul-smelling parts of your body to smell fragrant.
5. Black Tea
Black tea not only makes a great beverage, it is great when it comes to relieving odor as well. It is rich in tannins, compounds that are toxic for fungi, bacteria, and yeasts. It is an effective solution for getting rid of clammy foot odor. Soak your feet in black tea for 30 minutes a week to pull a vanishing spell on that nasty odor in no time.
6. Sage Herb
Burning sage can ward off evil…and using sage on your body can ward off odor-causing bacteria. Sage is antihidrotic (reduces sweating). Less sweat automatically equals less odor. Soak dried sage in hot water for 10-15 minutes and apply it directly on affected areas. Alternatively, sip on it throughout the day.
How Can You Get Rid Of Bad Breath?
It’s quite insulting when people take a step back while talking to you. You may or may not realize it, but it may be your bad breath causing that repulsed reaction. Don’t be dismayed. Find hope in nature’s offerings.
1. Fennel Seeds
When you chew fennel seeds, a commonly used mouth freshener, the concentration of nitrites in your saliva increases. These nitrites have antiseptic properties and prevent the growth of odor-causing bacteria in your mouth.
2. Cloves
Chewing a few pieces of cloves can immediately help get rid of bad breath. Cloves kill bacteria responsible for bad breath, leaving you with fresh odorless breath.
3. Cardamom
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